ANOHA

ANOHA The Children's World is an expansion of the Jewish Museum Berlin designed explicitly for the museum s youngest visitors, children between the ages of three and ten. ANOHA combines the story of Noah from the Torah with interactive exhibits that teach children about caring for the environment and the importance of supporting one another and working together. ANOHA features a new circular ark structure constructed from wood and placed within the 70,000-square-foot (6,500-square-meter) former flower market hall. Rather than mimic historic biblical ark forms, ANOHA is a modern ark inspired by two seemingly disparate sources: an ancient Sumerian text discovered a decade ago that describes a circular ark, and the ship from Stanley Kubrick s film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The new ark structure s curvilinear form offers a softening counterpoint to the rectilinear concrete structure of the hall that contains it and allows for a passive design that is unusual in museum buildings. Naturally ventilated and passively lit, the ark is populated with interactive play experiences that include an ark design/build activity, and many activities for visitors to help care for a menagerie of 150 animals fabricated locally from re-used objects. The project reflects a contemporary approach to public architecture and workplace design that balances programmatic efficiency with a strong sense of place, using material honesty, natural light, and spatial flexibility to support the evolving needs of occupants. Its successful delivery demonstrates how thoughtful design can align commercial or institutional goals with the well-being of the people who use the space on a daily basis.